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Selected:Delphi MethodSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Alignment Mapping3-Circle Venn Diagram
| Criterion |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation 3-Circle Venn Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | When three perspectives matter at the same time, a Three-Circle Venn Diagram shows the overlaps and remainders precisely. It makes visible where shared effect arises and where only a partial perspective applies. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 6-30 Experten | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Venn Diagram, Overlap Notes, Differentiators |
Tagsno overlap | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ComparisonFacilitationAlignment |